


Nightmares

by Fullmoonsnstars



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Nightmares, but still kinda gay, it's up to interpretation, taking care of your friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:08:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23527408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fullmoonsnstars/pseuds/Fullmoonsnstars
Summary: Sam wakes up to Bucky having a terrible nightmare which leaves him sweaty, drenched in blood and freaking out on the floor.Sam takes care of his friend.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson
Comments: 1
Kudos: 36





	Nightmares

Sam was forcibly ejected from his sleep by a loud sound piercing through the apartment.

He shot up; his body ready to engage in combat on a moment’s notice.

His eyes adjusted to the dark after a few seconds and he was met with an eerie silence.

He listened intently trying to identify the sound, maybe it had just been his imagination playing a trick on him? Or it had been a part of his dream?

He was sure it had sounded like a scream. 

Before he could finish the thought he heard something again, this time he recognised it as a loud groaning followed by mumbling. 

His brain had not quite woken up yet and he sat in confusion for some time before it clicked.

Bucky.

They had decided on renting out an apartment together as they worked so closely anyway and their bedrooms were on opposite sides of the complex, yet he could still hear the faint noises of his comrade struggling.

Sam removed his duvet and quickly stood up from his bed, carefully putting one foot in front of the other while making his way towards the door. 

He peeked out of the crack and saw nothing but darkness except for the faint light of their shared coffeemaker on the kitchen counter; its timer spelling out 3:54 am in bright red. 

Seeing as there wasn’t anything obviously suspicious in the hallway he slowly opened the door wider and started walking towards Bucky’s bedroom on the other side of the kitchen and living area. 

A loud crash could be heard from inside.

He picked up one of the large kitchen knives and held it firmly in his left hand, ready to pounce at any possible intruder.

He nearly jumped out of his skin and dropped it though after hearing yet another ear-piercing scream from Bucky’s bedroom door. 

He slammed it open expecting his friend to be struggling on the floor with some kind of assassin. 

But what he saw broke his heart even more.

Sitting in the corner of the room, his arm covered in blood from the broken lamp and hair damp with sweat and eyes puffy and red from crying, Sam saw Bucky shaking and clutching his legs trying to kick away something that wasn’t there.

He must be having a nightmare, Sam thought. But what kind of nightmare has you breaking furniture and flying to the other end of the room in panic?

“Bucky!”, Sam tried calling to him. Bucky responded with a yelp that sounded like one from a frightened wolf and curled even further into himself.

His eyes started to dart all over the place and his eyelids were twitching violently while tears continued streaming down his face. 

Sam put the knife down on the dresser and held his hands up to show he was unarmed and friendly.

“Bucky I’m not gonna hurt you, we’re friends. My name is Sam, do you know who I am?”

Bucky’s eyes came to a stop on Sam’s face and he stared at him unblinking with the most empty look Sam had ever seen.

He gently moved forward towards the man on the floor and kneeled down a few feet away from him. 

“Bucky I need you to wake up okay? You’re just dreaming, you’re safe with me, your best friend, in our shared apartment in New York. There’s no one here trying to hurt you okay?” 

Bucky’s eyes softened slightly and he looked Sam up and down before swallowing loudly and closing his eyes. 

“I….”, he wheezed out trying to form words.

“Ssh it’s okay you don’t have to speak”, Sam reached out a hand towards his friend urging him to take it. 

Bucky hesitated but eventually gripped it weakly, looking back at Sam.

The sides of his mouth hinted at an attempt at a smile.

“Can you stand for me?”, Sam asked calmly not wanting to startle the already fragile man. 

Bucky nodded and with the help of Sam’s hand around his arm shakily stood up.

He wobbled slightly until Sam let him rest his body against him; one arm around Bucky’s back and his other arm holding his hand as Bucky gripped his tightly, as if he was holding on for dear life. 

Sam could feel the tugging on his heartstrings, he quietly assured his friend that he wouldn’t disappear and heard Bucky let out small sobs into his shoulder. 

They slowly made their way into their shared bathroom and Sam softly placed his friend on the floor in the shower and took his own seat just behind him. 

“I’m going to wash all that sweat out of your hair for you okay, tell me if it’s too hot”, he said while stroking his friend’s shoulder and feeling him nod his head timidly. 

He had never seen his friend like this; on the outside, he was such a big, strong and muscular man. But on the inside, he was broken and fragile. How could someone have done this to another person? It was inhumane. 

Sam waited until the water was warm, but not boiling, and gently started running it through his friend’s hair, being careful not to let it get in his eyes.

He rubbed his other hand through Bucky’s scalp and down to his shoulder to give it a loving squeeze. 

He himself was getting drenched but he didn’t care, he just wanted to be there for his friend.

After a while, he could feel Bucky letting go of some of the tension in his back and shoulders, the warm water sooting him and letting him calm down in the presence of his best friend.

Sam took this opportunity to let the water flow over the wound on Bucky’s arm from the broken lightbulb in his room. Bucky winced at this and tensed up again.

“Ssh-ssh it’s okay, I have to clean it out. It’ll feel better soon”

Sam hugged his friend from behind and let Bucky fall back into his chest, this seemed to calm him down again. 

Sam left gentle rubs on his palm as he held the wounded arm still to make sure it was properly cleaned. 

He hummed a soft song to further let his friend settle down. It seemed to work as it seemed Bucky had almost fallen asleep again. 

Sam smiled against Bucky’s cheek and left a soft kiss on it. They weren’t together like that but they just had such a good relationship with each other that they were comfortable with that kind of intimacy. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just breathing each other in. Bucky’s hair was clean from the sweat and Sam had managed to stop the bleeding on his arm, but they just enjoyed each other’s company.

They were usually so busy with work that they didn’t have time to spend just on each other.

“This is nice”, Bucky spoke out almost in a whisper.

Sam smiled against his cheek, “yeah”, and squeezed him even closer, “wanna go back to bed now?”.

Bucky hummed a yes and started to get up, leaving the warmth of the shower and Sam. 

The other man followed and handed him a towel and went looking for some new pyjamas. 

Bucky caught a glance of himself in the bathroom mirror, man he looked rough; bloodshot eyes and dark blue circles almost all the way down to his cheeks, hair still dripping a bit from the shower and bruises on his jaw. 

Sam came back with some new clothes for the both of them and Bucky realised that Sam had the same circles and tired eyes. 

Suddenly he felt ashamed for waking up his friend and burdening him with his problems. 

But he didn’t even get to say anything before Sam stepped forward and placed his hands on the other man’s shoulders. 

“Don’t even think about it”, he said promptly and kind of demanding, but still with a tender tone, before wrapping his arms around Bucky in a tight embrace. 

This was when it all came flooding to the surface for Bucky and he started sobbing into Sam’s neck, his hands buried in his short afro which he had grown out. 

“Come on, let’s get you out of those wet clothes and into bed again”, Sam said while rubbing his back soothingly. 

Sam helped Bucky take off his wet shirt and boxers, being careful not to look too closely as this was not the right time to try something; Bucky was way too frail and confused right now. 

He then helped his friend get to his bedroom and lay down again. Bucky’s head hit the pillow and he was out like a light.

Sam smiled softly at the sight, pulled the covers over his friend, shut off the light and started walking towards the door; he himself being exhausted and just wanting to sleep. 

The clock on the coffee maker read 05:14. 

“Sam?”

He turned around at hearing a whisper of his name. Bucky’s eyes were not open but he was clearly awake. 

“Yeah?”, he said back just as quietly.

“Could… could you stay with me? Please….”.

Sam’s heart skipped a beat and tugged at the same time, he felt so sorry for Bucky and that he had to feel this way. He went back and forth in his head for a second, but landed on the conclusion that he had to be there for his friend; no matter his own confusing feelings. 

“Of course”, he smiled and made his way back towards the bed. 

Bucky lifted the covers for him to get under, Sam layed down beside him and pulled them back over the two of them. 

They lay beside each other for a while before Bucky reached down and carefully grabbed Sam’s hand, “thank you, for everything”. 

Sam blushed in the dark and gave Bucky’s hand a squeeze, “don’t mention it, I’m always here for you man”. 

“I know”, Bucky said only a few seconds before starting to snore quietly, Sam just smiled at him. 

And despite having gone to sleep just beside each other, they woke up the next morning with all their limbs tangled together.


End file.
